How to Get More Real Estate Agents Confidently Recommending Auctions
How Can Real Estate Agencies Increase Auction Adoption Across Their Sales Team?
A practical guide for agency principals and sales managers looking to build agent confidence, improve auction conversations and establish a more consistent auction culture across their business.
Key Takeaways
- Build confidence before setting targets. Agents need to understand when and how to recommend auctions.
- Make auction discussions part of appraisals. Present suitable selling methods fairly, rather than relying on a single preferred approach.
- Reduce operational complexity. Give agents reliable support, standard processes and a clear auction-day team.
- Coach and measure adoption. Track agent engagement, recommendation quality and process improvements, not just auction numbers.
Why Do Some Real Estate Agents Avoid Recommending Auctions?
Agents may be comfortable with private treaty sales but less confident presenting auction as a method of sale. Understanding the reasons behind that hesitation is the first step towards changing it.
The leadership response should be to remove uncertainty, strengthen skills and make appropriate auction recommendations easier to deliver.
How Should Agents Decide Whether Auction Is Suitable?
Before asking agents to recommend auctions more often, establish a consistent framework for assessing whether auction is appropriate for a particular property.
Four Questions for Every Listing Appraisal
Review comparable sales, current competition, buyer demand and the property's market position.
Consider the depth of potential interest, buyer circumstances and practical participation requirements.
Understand timing, campaign costs, expectations, risk tolerance and preferred transaction structure.
Confirm auctioneer availability, campaign resources, operational support and jurisdictional requirements.
If auction is appropriate, the agent should be able to explain why. If another selling method better serves the vendor, that recommendation should be equally clear.
How Can Sales Managers Roll Out Auction Adoption Across Their Team?
A structured rollout allows agents to build experience without introducing unnecessary pressure or disrupting existing sales activity.
Assess Each Agent's Current Confidence
Ask agents where they feel uncertain: recommending auctions, presenting to vendors, registering bidders, understanding auction procedures or managing passed-in outcomes. Review recent listing presentations to identify genuine skill gaps.
Owner: Principal or sales manager. Output: Individual coaching priorities.Teach the Auction Listing Conversation
Train agents to compare selling methods using market evidence, realistic expectations and clear explanations of costs and risks. Practise responding to vendor questions without promising a particular result.
Owner: Sales manager and experienced auctioneer. Output: Consistent, evidence-based appraisal conversations.Create a Supported Auction Process
Document the steps from listing appointment to auction completion. Assign responsibility for campaign administration, bidder registration, auctioneer coordination, vendor communication and technical preparation.
Owner: Head of auction or operations lead. Output: A shared office checklist and clear responsibilities.Introduce a Small, Supported Pilot
Start with a few suitable campaigns and agents who want to develop their auction skills. Pair less-experienced agents with an auction champion or experienced auctioneer. Observe the full process before expanding across the office.
Owner: Sales leadership. Output: Practical experience and documented lessons.Support Execution on Auction Day
Give agents a defined role while experienced personnel manage auction controls, bidder approvals, scribing and any livestreaming. Rehearse the setup and establish escalation procedures for operational or technical issues.
Owner: Auctioneer and auction operations team. Output: A supported, repeatable auction-day experience.Debrief, Coach and Expand
After each pilot campaign, review what worked, what confused the agent and which procedures need improvement. Include vendor feedback, buyer-readiness issues and post-auction follow-up before deciding how to extend the process to other agents.
Owner: Sales manager and participating agent. Output: Targeted coaching and a refined rollout plan.What Should Agents Say When Recommending Auction?
Agents should explain the recommendation in the context of the property and vendor's objectives, rather than relying on generic claims about competition or achieving a higher price.
Example Vendor Conversation
"Based on the comparable sales, current buyer interest and your preferred selling timeframe, I believe an auction campaign is worth considering. It gives us a defined campaign and public bidding process. I'll also explain the costs, possible outcomes and alternative selling methods so you can make an informed decision."
An effective recommendation is one the agent can substantiate. Training should also cover when an auction is not the preferred option.
How Should Principals Measure Auction Adoption?
A higher percentage of auction listings is not, by itself, evidence of better sales practice. Measure whether agents are making appropriate, informed recommendations and developing the skills to execute them.
| Measure | What to Review | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Auction Consideration | Suitable appraisals where auction was evaluated and discussed | Indicates whether agents are considering the method appropriately |
| Agent Participation | Agents completing training, shadowing or supported campaigns | Shows whether practical capability is developing across the team |
| Recommendation Quality | Evidence, seller objectives, alternatives and risks discussed | Encourages responsible advice rather than auction quotas |
| Operational Readiness | Campaign preparation, registration and completed checks | Highlights training gaps and recurring process issues |
| Post-Campaign Learning | Debrief completion, agent feedback and assigned improvements | Helps turn experience into stronger future execution |
Review these measures regularly by team or office. Use auction outcomes as supporting context, accounting for listing suitability and local market conditions, rather than treating them as the sole measure of individual agent performance.
What Can Cause an Auction Adoption Programme to Fail?
What Should Australian and New Zealand Agency Leaders Consider?
Auction training must reflect local legal obligations. Agencies operating across states or countries should not assume one auction procedure applies everywhere.
Requirements to Include in Team Training
- New South Wales: Property auction rules include bidder registration and Bidders Record requirements. The statutory Bidders Record cannot be used for marketing or ordinary buyer follow-up. Refer to NSW Government auction responsibilities .
- Victoria: Auctions held from 16 October 2026 are subject to rules requiring the seller's reserve price to be published for at least seven days before the auction. A change to the published reserve restarts that period. See Consumer Affairs Victoria .
- Queensland and other states or territories: Licensing, auction advertising, vendor bidding and registration requirements vary. Queensland, for example, restricts price guides for auction properties. See Queensland Government auction guidance .
- New Zealand: Licensees should explain available selling methods and provide appropriate advice to sellers. Reserve-price practices differ from Victoria, and statutory bidder registration is not a universal requirement equivalent to NSW. Refer to the Real Estate Authority auction guidance and agency agreement guidance .
Privacy and customer due diligence should also form part of office training. Australian AML/CTF obligations have applied to covered real estate services since 1 July 2026; see AUSTRAC guidance . Buyer information must be collected and used for lawful purposes under applicable Australian and New Zealand privacy rules. Registration information should never automatically be treated as a marketing database.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can a principal encourage agents to recommend auctions more often?
Start by understanding why agents hesitate. Provide practical training, suitable listing examples, vendor conversation coaching and experienced auctioneer support. Encourage informed recommendations rather than mandatory auction targets.
Should every sales agent be expected to conduct auctions?
No. Agents should understand auction as a selling method and be able to recommend it appropriately. Conducting an auction is a specialist function subject to applicable licensing requirements. Agencies can use qualified internal or external auctioneers.
What training is most useful for agents who are new to auctions?
Focus on property suitability, vendor presentations, auction terminology, bidder preparation, registration, auction-day roles and passed-in procedures. Observation and supervised participation are useful complements to classroom or online training.
Can auction technology help agents become more confident?
It can support confidence by providing familiar, repeatable workflows for bidder registration, auction management, livestreaming and reporting. Technology is most useful when supported by training, clear responsibilities and experienced personnel.
How long should an agency pilot a new auction process?
There is no universal pilot duration. Choose a period that allows the team to experience preparation, auction delivery and post-auction follow-up on suitable campaigns. Review the pilot before extending it to additional agents or offices.
How Can Auctions Live Support Auction Adoption?
Agent confidence develops through training and experience. Technology can complement that process by giving the team a more consistent operating environment once an auction campaign is selected.
Connected Auction Infrastructure for Sales Teams
Developed by RE Software, Auctions Live provides tools for electronic bidder registration, online bidding, livestreaming, auction management, reporting, website widgets and supported CRM integrations.
The platform supports Onsite, In-Room / Multi-Lot, Virtual, Timed and Stream Only auction workflows. Prezo Studio and Stream Studio provide additional presentation and broadcasting capabilities where available.
For independent agencies and corporate groups, these tools can support a shared approach to auction preparation and delivery while allowing each office to establish its own training and operational procedures.
Explore Auctions Live Solutions →Related Auctions Live Knowledge Hub Guides
These resources can help agencies turn their auction adoption programme into practical office processes and staff training.
Important information: This article provides general operational guidance for real estate professionals and does not constitute legal, regulatory or professional advice. Appropriate selling methods depend on the property, seller, market conditions and applicable requirements. Auction, licensing, privacy and AML/CTF obligations vary by jurisdiction and circumstances. Agencies should verify current rules with the relevant regulator and their advisers. Auctions Live functionality may depend on account configuration, subscription and supported integrations. Information reviewed October 2026.
Posted 30th October, 2026